6 dangerous myths about vaping

When vaping became mainstream in the mid-2000s, it was presented as a safe alternative to cigarettes or an aid for quitting. The practice gained popularity when millennials and Gen Z started using the (oftentimes) odorless and smoke-free device in high numbers.

But just as cigarette smoking began losing its cool in the latter portion of the 20th century following a Surgeon General’s report, vaping is well on its way to being condemned.

On October 8, 2019, following a string of lung injuries and confirmed deaths tied to e-cigarette and vaping use, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report urging people to avoid use of these products.

Although the reasons for these injuries and deaths are still under investigation, one thing is for certain: Knowledge and research surrounding e-cigarettes and vaping are extremely limited. Misinformation about vaping has spread along with its popularity.

Here, we highlight six of the biggest myths associated with the trend. 

Myth: Vaping is safer than cigarette smoking. 

Facts: Vaping is not safer than smoking. That’s because, when vaping, users inhale the steam from heated oil rather than the fumes from burning leaves. The oil contains nicotine, the addictive compound found in tobacco, which is meant to satisfy smokers’ cravings without the exposure to the by-products of burning. Vape oil often contains flavorings, such as fruit or mint, that make the steam more appealing to those who don’t like the taste of tobacco.

Some e-cigarettes are designed to look like standard cigarettes or cigars, while many models resemble thin pens, small rectangular computer flash drives, or other electronic devices. You may hear them referred to as “vape pens,” “mods,” “vape tanks,” “vaporizers,” or “Juuls” (the most widely-known brand). Most rely on a rechargeable battery to power the heating coil that turns liquid oil into steam. 

Myth: Only adults use e-cigarettes.

Facts: Roughly 40 percent of e-cigarette users are between 18 to 24 years old, according to a 2018 study by the CDC. The CDC also found that 20 percent of high school students and five percent of middle-schoolers had vaped in the past 30 days.

Myth: Vaping isn’t addictive.

Facts: Vaping is highly addictive. Whether you smoke tobacco or inhale steam, nicotine enters your bloodstream and reaches your brain faster than drugs injected into your veins. Nicotine stimulates your body to release epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) and dopamine, the hormone that helps you relax and feel happy. But the pleasant feeling wears off quickly, especially as your body builds up a tolerance for nicotine. This growing resistance causes you to crave more. Vaping can be as addictive as smoking, and because it can be more convenient than smoking, many people are puffing the nicotine-infused steam steadily throughout their day. 

Myth: Vaping can help you quit smoking.

Facts: Most adults who use e-cigarettes also continue to smoke cigarettes, according to the CDC research. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a group of experts that makes health care recommendations to government agencies, reviewed the available data touting e-cigarettes and vaping use as a viable way to quit cigarettes and concluded that “the evidence is insufficient to recommend e-cigarettes for smoking cessation in adults.”

Myth: When you vape, you don’t inhale toxic chemicals like those found in cigarettes.

Facts: Vape oil, or aerosol, contains nicotine, a powerful substance that can be lethal in large doses. Even in moderate doses, nicotine is harmful to your health, with negative effects on your body’s cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and reproductive systems. It is especially damaging for pregnant women and their developing fetuses, as well as children and adolescents. Several studies have found that nicotine ingested in any form increases your risk of contracting cancer. Some e-cigarette aerosols also have been found to contain heavy metals like lead and other cancer-causing agents. Bottom line: It’s difficult to know for certain what’s contained in e-cigarettes, and many of the added properties could be extremely dangerous to consume. 

Myth: Government agencies make sure that e-cigarettes are safe.

Facts: Vaping products and their ingredients are not tested or evaluated by any public health agency. Since vaping has become popular only in the last few years, the long-term health impacts have not yet been studied.

What’s more, many U.S. health officials believe that a black market product called “Dank Vape” (which contains THC, an illegal substance that comes from marijuana plants) could be responsible for some of the lung injuries that have occurred.